The Sword of Shannara, from author Terry Brooks, is kind of a cold-war revision of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ideas. The book features all the fantasy trappings of Tolkien’s novels — so much so that critics dinged Brooks for rampant borrowing — but gives it all a nuclear origin, as the novels take place thousands of years after apocalyptic wars mutated mankind into elves and dwarves, and changed the geographic layout of Earth.

The book was also very successful, and it spawned two direct sequels and ultimately became the thing that dominates Brooks’ career — he’s got more Shannara books set for 2014 and 2015, almost 40 years after the publication of his first. With all the interest in YA and fantasy novel properties from studios since The Lord of the Rings was a success, it is possibly only the very Tolkien-lite characteristics of Shannara that have kept the books from being adapted. Not that people haven’t tried, as producers who started working with the rights in 2007 have now hit pay dirt.

MTV is now developing Shannara, a TV series, with Jon Favreau signed to direct the pilot. Read More »

It’s starting to feel like every time we turn around, Steve Carell has attached himself to yet another project. Having wrapped Seeking a Friend for the End of the World and Great Hope Springs, Carell’s now in the midst of filming The Incredible Burt Wonderstone and lending his voice to Despicable Me 2, with Charlie Kaufman’s Frank or Francis lined up next.

Beyond that, he’s attached to Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher, the Dave Barry adaptation Lunatics, John Carney’s The Dogs of Babel, the Black List script Conviction, and another film with Crazy, Stupid, Love. directors Glenn Ficarra & John Requa. And now, we can add the comedic fantasy Magic Kingdom for Sale — SOLD! to that list as well. Good grief. More details after the jump.